During this visit, you should work with one or more groups of students if you haven't already, and observe your teacher doing the same. For this journal entry, describe your teacher's teaching style. What type of relationships with students does he or she nurture in his or her classes? How do students perceive that power is distributed in the classes? Does this vary within or across the different classes the teacher has? Cite examples from your observations to support your inferences. Remember to reflect on what style of teaching you will gravitate toward and the how you want to be perceived by your students.
Observations: While the students were working in groups of 3 to 4, Mr. O would walk around to each group and
just observe. He would offer advice and answer questions when he felt was necessary and would prompt students with questions when they were stuck on something to give them a jump start. In the A.P. Environmental Biology class, Mr. O lets the students work out their answers on their own or asks other students to try and answer each others questions before he gives them the answers. In the Inquiry Biology class, Mr. O has the same routine except in this class, the students are not as intrigued by the class discussions as the A.P. class and the discussions often fall flat. During this class, Mr. O prompts the class with questions and then guides them along to find the answers. This class is more teacher centered whereas the A.P. class is more student centered.
Reflections: I like Mr. O's teaching style for the most part. Mr. O knows when to back off and when to step in depending on the situation. He also keeps students on task and focused when working in groups by setting time limits of when certain portions of the task should be finished. Then when those portions are completed, Mr. O has the students reflect on what they did and this also helps clear up any confusion the students may have before they move onto the next part of the task. I like this method because it helps students stay focused throughout the class and helps to keep everyone caught up to a certain degree.I want my students to feel like they can learn and work through things on their own but can ask for help when they need it and I can help guide them as well.
Class Topic: Biodiversity
Grade: 10-11
Observed by: Jillian Boisse
Observations: While the students were working in groups of 3 to 4, Mr. O would walk around to each group and
just observe. He would offer advice and answer questions when he felt was necessary and would prompt students with questions when they were stuck on something to give them a jump start. In the A.P. Environmental Biology class, Mr. O lets the students work out their answers on their own or asks other students to try and answer each others questions before he gives them the answers. In the Inquiry Biology class, Mr. O has the same routine except in this class, the students are not as intrigued by the class discussions as the A.P. class and the discussions often fall flat. During this class, Mr. O prompts the class with questions and then guides them along to find the answers. This class is more teacher centered whereas the A.P. class is more student centered.
Reflections: I like Mr. O's teaching style for the most part. Mr. O knows when to back off and when to step in depending on the situation. He also keeps students on task and focused when working in groups by setting time limits of when certain portions of the task should be finished. Then when those portions are completed, Mr. O has the students reflect on what they did and this also helps clear up any confusion the students may have before they move onto the next part of the task. I like this method because it helps students stay focused throughout the class and helps to keep everyone caught up to a certain degree.I want my students to feel like they can learn and work through things on their own but can ask for help when they need it and I can help guide them as well.
Class Topic: Biodiversity
Grade: 10-11
Observed by: Jillian Boisse